Another You
by JustMe-Liz
Summary: One Shot. Addison is back in Seattle for a case, but an accident occurs preventing her from returning to LA again. Addek. WARNING: Character Death.


Don't own it...

* * *

ANOTHER YOU

"So. You're back."

Mark looks at Addison with interest and she shrugs, shaking her head.

"I'm here for a case, Mark. That's it."

"Stay."

"No."

"Why not?"

She shakes her head, staring out the rainy window.

"Because it's not good for me to be here. It's not good for anyone if I'm here. For me… for you… for Karev… Derek and Meredith."

"Derek needs you here."

She frowns, staring at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"This thing with Meredith… and now with the nurse, it's not… he's looking for something that he's not going to find in Seattle."

"And what might that be?"

"Another you."

Addison rolls her eyes, chucking her empty polystyrene cup into a bin.

"You're crazy."

"Addison."

"Mark…"

"Look, you… you know how I feel about you. You know that I love you and… I just want to see you happy."

"What's your point?"

"My point is that you're miserable. And Derek is miserable. Maybe… just maybe you both realised that you lost what you really wanted."

Addison shakes her head, staring out in front of her blankly.

"No. Derek and I… we're never going to be together again, Mark. He deserves to be… happy and I don't think I can give him that anymore. It's just… the end. It has been for a long time now."

She brushes her lips against his cheek slightly.

"Thank you for trying to convince me to stay though."

"What did you expect?"

She shrugs, simply staring at him with those gorgeous eyes and he sighs.

"Tell him, Addison. Tell him how you feel."

"I can't. But thanks."

* * *

A few hours and two lives saved later, she is making her way across the street – thinking that a drink at Joe's was just what she needed. For old times sake. Her mind is spinning with Mark's wisdom – which in itself is enough to make her mind spin.

Derek.

No, she couldn't…

They didn't work out for a reason, and that reason was still standing. Wasn't it?

Or maybe…

No.

She couldn't go back there, she just couldn't and… argh!

Addison groans when she feels her handbag slipping from her hands, kneeling down to pick it up.

It happens so fast, there's absolutely no time to process it.

And before she can really figure out what's going on, her body is hurled through the air and then she's lying on the ground, her body trembling as the rain soaks her clothes.

And then…

Voices.

A lot of voices.

But she can't figure out to who those voices belong because everything is black and then suddenly…

"Addison? Addie, can you hear me?"

Derek.

She tries to open her eyes and sit up, but her body just won't listen to her and then he's holding her hand steadily, comforting her tenderly.

"Der…?"

"I'm here, sweetie. I'm right here, I've got you. I've got you."

His arms are around her, holding her closely and she just knows that it's the time to tell him.

That there won't be a later and he has to know.

"I… love you."

Something warm is dripping on her forehead and she knows it's his tears, she just knows it and then his mouth is next to her ear, his voice a broken whisper.

"I love you too. There's just… I'm never going to find another you. I don't want another you, I just… You're the only one for me, Addie. There's no one else, no one can fill the spot you have in my heart."

She opens her eyes with difficulty, staring at him honestly.

"I'm sorry… Mark…"

"I know."

"Der…"

"I know."

And she knows that he's not lying. She doesn't need to say it because he really knows that she misses him and loves him and that they wasted so much time. And the unfairness of the situation suddenly grabs her and she sobs as she hears a siren in the distance.

"Addie? Does it hurt?"

But it doesn't and suddenly she has enough strength to lift her hand and rest it against his cheek.

"No. It doesn't. Everything feels good. Everything… is perfect."

Then, like in a dream, she becomes weightless and she's looking down on the street. Derek, holding her limp body against his chest, crying hysterically. Mark, kneeling next to his friend, unable to contain his tears, chocking heartbrokenly. Even Joe is there, tearfully comforting Callie – who is screaming agonizingly. Alex, sitting on the ground, his shoulders shaking as Izzie and George are rubbing his shoulders…

"Addie… You have to wake up, you have to wake up and we can try again… You have to wake up for me… because I love you and I need you. I need you, Addison… You can't do this to me, you can't…"

"Derek…"

Derek yanks away from Mark, still clutching onto her limp body like the closeness could breathe some of his life into her.

"Derek…"

Mark's voice is thick with tears and Derek shakes his head, holding her even tighter.  
"No."

"Derek, it's too late. You have to let go now. She's…. she's gone."

Solemn looking people are suddenly there, lifting her frail body onto a stretcher and pulling a blanket over her face and Derek is lifted up by two strong arms, and suddenly nothing but Mark's support is holding him up and he allows his tears to mix with the rain.

"Addison!"

It's a strangled cry, void of any hope, any life.

A dead, strangled cry and Mark feels his body sinking to the ground, holding on to his best friend, closing his eyes to keep them from seeing Addison's body carried away.

Because it's Addison and they're treating her like she's just a random dead body.

Without knowing how they even got the strength to get up, the group makes it back into Joe's.

Joe, Callie, Alex, Mark, Derek, Izzie, George… all sobbing, their shoulders shaking.

Barely ten minutes later, they are joined by Richard and Miranda – both of whom are sobbing hysterically.

Derek finally finds his way outside – much later. Like a zombie, he walks to the spot where he'd last held the love of his life in his arms and he sits down, not even noticing the rain drenching his shirt. He leans down slightly, letting his fingers run over the path – where her blood had mixed with gravel and warm tears are flowing freely.

"You never stopped being the love of my life, Addie. I never stopped loving you. And I never will…"


End file.
